Yoichi Wada: We fucked up, guys. Bad.

[Joker]

Relevant: I've bought FFX twice, and would buy it ten more times. IT'S SO GOOD HNNNNNNNNGH

Man, I'd never thought I'd see the day when I'd say I'm getting tired of Final Fantasy. I remember when that name used to mean something, when it was rare and exciting.

It went from the pretty, smart girl down the hall where you'd get excited to get a peck on the cheek from her, to that broad that keeps calling you every day and when you finally relent you have to figure out a nice way to kick her out of your bed the next morning.

This.

Also, quoting this made lol at your username again. XD

And when the fuck are they going to make a new Chrono game? >=/

 

[Strangelove]

I... bought a couple of International/Final Mixes and would possibly do it again if it was a big game altering difference or a big addition (FFXII, FFX-2, KH2)

Could you make DLC that replaces all the voices in the game (which is one of the selling point of International versions, English voices)?

Or forget the the voices and let people have just the extras and additions as DLC.

 

[Tetsujin]

Could you make DLC that replaces all the voices in the game (which is one of the selling point of International versions, English voices)?

I'm pretty sure it's possible, but they could just include multiple voice tracks from the beginning. Lots of games do that nowadays.

 

[Cthulhu]

Square still needs to jump onto the DLC bandwagon, lol .

But extra features like alternative voices and stuff like that would actually make for interesting DLC, instead of just level packs and things like that.

 

[Cthulhu]

Square still needs to jump onto the DLC bandwagon, lol .

But extra features like alternative voices and stuff like that would actually make for interesting DLC, instead of just level packs and things like that.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

And when the fuck are they going to make a new Chrono game? >=/

This. To make an example from this statement, I maintain that reviving and expertly concluding the Chrono series would singlehandedly save SquareEnix and raise them to be heroes. And by 'expertly', I mean by reuniting the original team, staying true to its original concepts and direction, and finishing it out with a memorable bang (akin to Toy Story 3), and leaving it alone, for it to be honored.

Chrono Trigger, yes, the whimsical game about time traveling and talking frogs and beatboxing carnival robots, remain, despite SquareEnix fuckups and experimental brand meddling of their other franchises, one of the most cherished, acclaimed, and popular titles of all time, and, believe it or not, one of the most emotionally moving titles as well.

As a partial aside, a lot of that credit goes to Yasunori Mitsuda and the incredible music. I love the man, he's so into his craft, that he cries when certain pieces of his music is played in concert halls, in orchestras, or just in the context of the game. Reading his interviews and such, he puts so much heart into his craft, any game that he works on his raised up a few notches by association. A grown ass man, crying, over music he made. Is it no wonder he's considered to be one of the greatest composers of his era and genre?

SquareEnix needs those type of people. Developers and artists and game staff that actually, literally, cry over their work, being labors of love as opposed to simply turning over for profit. I think, once they get a crew that are truly artists in every sense of the word that treats their crafts with utmost respect and emotional and creative consideration, that will bring them back on top.

It's more than just about money.

 

[Ite]

I would qft, but I agree with every single word. Just read Mog's whole post again.

 

[Tetsujin]

Chrono Trigger, yes, the whimsical game about time traveling and talking frogs and beatboxing carnival robots, remain, despite SquareEnix fuckups and experimental brand meddling of their other franchises, one of the most cherished, acclaimed, and popular titles of all time, and, believe it or not, one of the most emotionally moving titles as well.

It's too bad they don't seem to even give much of a fuck about it, considering they never released it in Europe until the DS version came out and that one wasn't even translated in other European languages apart from English and French, I think.
Reason: They didn't think it would sell enough to warrant that.

No, it wouldn't. Not with THAT attitude, you fucknuts.

 

[Gabriel_D]

Brilliant post by that dude with the long username (Mog?)

Also I remember a time when Square produced such quality games that changed the market and forced it to adapt to their games. Now they got it the other way around and they're not even doing it right >.<

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Do what you love and the money will follow.
Do it for money, and it's prostitution. No wonder SE give the impression that their heart is not in it.
I agree with everything Mog said, except I don't think you necessarily need the same team. A new, younger team, with love for Chrono Trigger in their hearts, might bring fresh ideas and could do just as good a job.

 

[Makoeyes987]

The problem is, is that these days, Japanese game developers are nothing but a bunch of damn salarymen. They clock in, work, get their paycheck, and are done. The sad fact of the matter is, is there's really no fear of failure. They aren't striving to be the best developers, and facing either acclaim or failure. They half ass it. Get their check, and as long as the game breaks even, they've done enough.

It's just a job over there. Not a creative endeavor of blood, sweat, and tears. Ensuring not to fail. Trying to surpass their rivals for sales. There's no more incentive to be the best anymore. They've become bloated industries that just work to maintain the status quo and keep production at levels to barely satisfy all of their payroll and investors. They've ceased taking risks because they know that as long as they do "enough" they keep their job, their salary, and will just keep getting that paycheck no matter what they do. If they don't, it all comes crashing down.

There's nothing at stake anymore. The entire Japanese business model has corroded to this crap. There won't be games with love anymore because there's nothing to push them to put their entire stake into game developing. It's all just a job.

 

[Ryushikaze]

This. To make an example from this statement, I maintain that reviving and expertly concluding the Chrono series would singlehandedly save SquareEnix and raise them to be heroes. And by 'expertly', I mean by reuniting the original team, staying true to its original concepts and direction, and finishing it out with a memorable bang (akin to Toy Story 3), and leaving it alone, for it to be honored.

Chrono Trigger, yes, the whimsical game about time traveling and talking frogs and beatboxing carnival robots, remain, despite SquareEnix fuckups and experimental brand meddling of their other franchises, one of the most cherished, acclaimed, and popular titles of all time, and, believe it or not, one of the most emotionally moving titles as well.

As a partial aside, a lot of that credit goes to Yasunori Mitsuda and the incredible music. I love the man, he's so into his craft, that he cries when certain pieces of his music is played in concert halls, in orchestras, or just in the context of the game. Reading his interviews and such, he puts so much heart into his craft, any game that he works on his raised up a few notches by association. A grown ass man, crying, over music he made. Is it no wonder he's considered to be one of the greatest composers of his era and genre?

SquareEnix needs those type of people. Developers and artists and game staff that actually, literally, cry over their work, being labors of love as opposed to simply turning over for profit. I think, once they get a crew that are truly artists in every sense of the word that treats their crafts with utmost respect and emotional and creative consideration, that will bring them back on top.

It's more than just about money.

Another thing that needs to happen is that they need to start biting of as much as they can chew. Not too much and not too little. They keep thinking of these big epic grandiose plans and then keep fucking up because they keep thinking of more shit to add or polishing rocks without getting that core in.

It's happened to 'em before. Chrono Cross, Xenogears, and Saga Frontier (and I say this with two of those games being games I love dearly and the third having a mute protaganist) were all grossly overplanned games that didn't actually get finished.

Entire arcs were glossed over and removed in Xenogears.
A playable main character was scrapped from SaGa. Another has no story. A third has a major chunk of hers missing.
Chrono Cross has 44 playable characters and nothing to do with them. Also, it kinda shits on the original story, moreso if you take certain fan theories seriously.

And then they learned from this for awhile. They released a series of games that were competent, well executed, and finished. You might not like the stories, but the stories were at least there. The games were finished, and fleshed out.

They've forgotten their lesson of 13 years ago.

And yes, more Chrono. But it has to fit in line with the original (And sure, CC if they want, I guess) but not be bogged down in it like Crismon Echoes turned out to be after it was leaked.

 

[Super Mario]

They need to bring Sakaguchi back. I dont know why, but their magic was slowly fading when he ultimately left. I dont want to sound like the entire company depends on him but his creativity and direction really made FF and other titles prosper.

 

[Ite]

Well, considering he was basically like "fuck you guys you've lost your direction and I'm going solo and I'mm'a make a new game called LAST STORY" I might consider that to be FF reborn and/or concluded.

Although FFIX was a damn fine conclusion to the series imho.

 

[kritiana0]

I hope 3rd Birthday does well or else they'll keep spamming the handhelds like no tomorrow. It's about time they figured out their faults and is now working to become a better brand. Let's hope they make a decent console title that won't take a decade or so.

Well they're putting out Chrono Trigger on mobile phones this spring, and with the release of The 3rd Birthday, I can only hope that they REALLY take a step back and look at WHY their most powerful brand is fading from its former glory, instead of rampaging on the same way through all their other brands. Some of the fanservicing for PE3 makes me a bit nervous, especially given the tone of the original game, but with this, I'll choose to remain cautiously optimistic.